Nikon EH EL2 User's Manual
Contents
1. Depth of field preview Via button provided on front of camera Body finish Satin chrome and semi gloss black Weight 780g body only Dimensions 145mm x 93 5mm x 54 5mm gt NIPPON KOGAKU K K No reproduction in any form of this booklet in y whole or in part except for brief quotation in critical articles or reviews may be made without written authorization from the publishers Printed in Japan 77 7 BO amp 22. NOMENCLATURE Shutter speed dial lock En Film rewind knob Shutter release button lock Camera back latch release Threaded sync terminal Neckstrap eyelet Shutter release button Exposure compensation ring Depth of field preview button Film speed dial lock Self timer Memory lock Lens release button Shutter speed dial Mirror lockup lever Lens mounting flange Lens mounting index Reflex mirror Coupling lever release Battery chamber Meter coupling lever Auto winder electrical contacts Film rewind button Auto winder film advance coupling Tripod socket Distance scale Focusing ring Aperture ring Meter coupling ridge ASA film speed dial ASA film speed scale Film rewind crank Film speed scale index Power check button Power check lamp Accessory shoe Aperture Distance scale index Meter coupling shoe Depth of field indicators Shutter speed scale Frame counter Meter ON index Film advance lever Film plane indicator Viewfinder eyepiece Hot shoe contact BRIEF GUIDE TO CAMERA HANDLING The Nikon EL2 s conveniently placed controls and fully automatic shutter facilitate operation under even rapidly changing conditions After performing the preliminary steps as presented in Preparation for Use pages 8 12 shoot ing with the Nikon EL2 is as simple as 1 Set the shutter speed dial to A to prepare the camera fo
3. ua Tiyo aami h ACCESSORIES Auto Winder AW 1 The compact and lightweight Nikon Auto Winder AW 1 is a precision drive accessory which offers greater ver satility of operation with the EL2 The winder attaches directly to the baseplate of the camera and provides for effortless automatic film advance operation that com plements the camera s built in automatic exposure fea tures And by providing the freedom from manual film advance the AW 1 enables the photographer to concen trate fully on the viewfinder image and to follow even rapid action flow Power for winder operation is pro vided by six standard penlight type batteries mounted within the unit 44 Lens Hoods The use of a lens hood is recommended at all times to prevent extraneous light from striking the lens a cause of flare and ghost and as an added measure of protec tion for the lens An extensive lineup of hoods is avail able to meet the needs of all Nikkor lenses Filters Nikon filters made of the finest optical glass finished to plano parallel flatness are available in a wide range of mounting sizes and types to meet the needs of both color and black and white photography For best results use Nikon filters on Nikkor lenses Eyepiece Correction Lenses Available in nine different powers for maximum selec tivity Nikon eyepiece correction lenses permit the near or far sighted user to view and focus without wearing spectacles Diopters avai
4. m Auto exposure control with stop down metering When using a bellows or other extension equipment which disengages the meter coupling device it is neces sary to revert to stop down metering Certain limita tions are imposed in this mode As lens to film distance is increased the metering range EV range changes proportionately For example when an f 2 0 lens is used at 2 1 reproduction twice life size the effective f number is f 5 6 When used at f 8 the effective f number is f 22 When pictures are taken under minimal light levels it is desirable to use a high speed film ASA 160 or higher Using Tri X at film speed 400 with stop down metering with an effective f number of f 8 the shutter speed range would be from 1 4 second to 1 1000 Should the light level drop below EV 6 it would be out of the shutter speed range of the meter Table Slowest shutter speed at full aperture with any lens ASA speed Slowest shutter speed sec 35 EV RANGE OF THE CAMERA continued How to read the EV range chart The chart indicates the EV for ASA 100 vs shutter speed range To determine the shutter speed range note that the bars in section A indicate the responsive range of the EL2 s photosensitive SPD element i e f 8 covers EV 6 23 f 16 covers EV 8 23 for the f stop in use In Section B note the f stop being used on the appro priate ASA scale For example at ASA 25 with the lens set at f 8 we follow the
5. the camera is fitted with an automatic sync switchover circuit which selects the proper synchroniza tion timing as the shutter speed is selected operation with the shutter speed dial set to A is not possible however The table below shows which shutter speeds may be used with different types of flashbulbs No special adapters are necessary when using flash units equipped with an ISO type hot shoe mount such as Nikon Speedlight Units SB 3 and SB 4 or bottom mount units such as the Speedlight SB 5 For other Nikon units such as the Flash Unit BC 7 and Speed light Unit SB 2 the Flash Unit Coupler AS 2 is avail able and offers again operation without the need for a sync cord Shutter speed sec Fiashbulb 1 1000 1 500 1 250 1 125 1 60 1 30 J 1 15 1 8 Speedlight synchronized RE Cannot be used Some M class bulbs that have shorter flash duration may not cover these speeds MIRROR LOCKUP The reflex mirror must be locked in the up position when using either the Fisheye Nikkor 6mm f 5 6 or the OP Fisheye Nikkor 10mm f 5 6 lenses since their rear elements protrude into the camera body and interfere with mirror movement Locking up the mirror is also necessary when changing the battery mounted in the chamber at the bottom of the mirror box To lock up the mirror turn the mirror lockup lever upward as far as it will go approx 45 The mirror will remain in the up position
6. aave After opening the camera back carefully lift the film cartridge free of the film chamber Note that as the film advance lever is stroked for the next exposure the re wind button will be released to engage the film advance mechanism Caution Be careful not to push the rewind button during film advance operation as temporary film stoppage and double ex posure may occur Also do not attempt to force the advance lever at the completion of the roll as this can result in tearing the film out of the cartridge HOLDING THE CAMERA Camera shake is one of the most common causes of un sharp pictures especially at slow shutter speeds Learn to hold the camera correctly and practice steady shutter squeezing The photos show the best ways to hold the camera for sharp pictures Wrap the fingers of the right hand around the camera body so that the index finger rests comfortably on the shutter release button and the thumb fits between the camera body and the film advance lever Position the camera so that the eye looks through the center of the viewfinder Cradle the camera in the left hand for addi tional support with the left thumb and index finger grasping the focusing ring From this basic stance the camera can be properly supported and easily switched from horizontal to vertical format shooting As a general rule the slowest shutter speed you should use with the camera hand held is equal to the reciprocal of the foc
7. automatic shutter speed selection it may be necessary to press the memory lock if the aperture is to be re opened for focusing and or composition Preset type lenses include PC Nikkor lenses Caution To avoid accidental damage make sure you do not use excessive force when raising up the lever 33 EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS Some exposure correction may be necessary when cer tain types of films are used for copying or photomicro graphy applications the amount of correction required however will depend on the type of film and the spe cific application The following table lists the exposure corrections in f stops required for various film shooting requirements Compensation is possible by adjusting the shutter speed or the aperture by the indicated amount also compensation is possible by adjusting the special ring provided for this purpose To adjust the exposure compensation ring simply lift and turn it until the index mark is aligned with the value corresponding to the amount of compensation In the example shown the index is set to the 1 position as required when performing photomicrography using Panchromatic film Original Repro copying amp slide copying Letters or figures Letters or figures n Photo B amp W micrography color photo Type of film Ol on light background dark background Panchromatic No film compensation 1 stops for general use neces
8. during ex posure measurement to eliminate the effects of a bright expanse of sky without such compensation the land scape may appear underexposed in the final print Also for backlit subjects it may be necessary to move closer to the subject to ensure a proper reading Metering with a bright area in the center will For correct exposure first measure the main subject cause underexposure of the main subject then recompose and shoot STOP DOWN EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT With some Nikkor lenses full aperture exposure mea surement is not possible either because the lens has no automatic diaphragm or because the lens does not cou ple with the built in meter with certain accessories too lens meter coupling is not possible thus prevent ing full aperture measurement However the camera s meter can still be used for exposure measurement via the stop down method Before mounting the lens or accessory on the camera body lock the meter cou pling lever in the up position as described in Cou pling Lever Lock Release Operation on page 43 the lever must remain up as long as stop down measure ment is being performed After setting the lever mount the lens or lens accessory combination on the camera switch on the meter by moving the film advance lever to the standoff position or moving the shutter release button lock to the left and then set the controls for correct exposure as follows For fixed aper
9. film advance lever Note Whenever the camera is stored be sure that the shutter release button lock as well as the film advance lever is set to the meter OFF position to ensure against accidental battery drain 15 OPERATION OF CAMERA CONTROLS continued Self Timer The built in self timer can be used to trip the shutter after a delay of approximately 10 seconds and it will operate whether the shutter speed dial is set for auto matic or manual shutter speed selection To take a pic ture using the self timer to fire the camera first set the aperture and shutter speed controls advance the film and cock the self timer by turning its lever downward as far as it will go then simply depress the shutter re lease button to start the countdown with shutter re lease occurring at the completion of the cycle note that the mirror will rise as the shutter button is depressed and return at the end of the cycle Note that the self timer can be set either before or after advancing film however once cocked it cannot be reset except by pressing the shutter release button The self timer may not be used at the B shutter speed dial setting Caution Should self timer operation be performed with the camera set for automatic operation be sure that the finder eye piece is covered to prevent the entry of stray light Failure to do this can result in incorrectly exposed pictures 16 Memory Lock The con
10. line diagonally and find that it intersects EV 5 at eight seconds and at EV 18 runs off the scale at 1 1000 second ASA 100 at f 8 runs from EV 3 at eight seconds to EV 16 at 1 1000 second In any case it is generally the low end which requires a careful check The wide exposure EV range of the Nikon EL2 will encompass most lighting situations It is only under dim light or rare bright light situations that any special attention need be paid Full aperture metering The metering range is determined by the bars Section A f number range in appropriate ASA scale Section B and shutter speed 8 1 1000 sec Section C For example the area encompassed by the heavy lines dem onstrates a combination of an f 1 4 lens and ASA 100 film Stop down metering The metering range is determined by the bars Section A f number in appropriate ASA scale Section B which corresponds to the stopped down aperture in operation and shutter speed 8 1 1000 sec Section C The broken line demonstrates stop down measure ment in the case of an f 8 lens combined with ASA 100 film indicating a range from 1 sec to 1 1000 sec Section B Working aperture during light measurement Section C 8 Shutter speed sec Section A 37 FLASH SYNCHRONIZATION 38 The Nikon EL2 camera is designed to synchronize with most types of flashbulbs at almost all shutter speeds and with electronic flash at speeds to 1 125 second Addi tionally
11. positions rather than to A prior to making blank exposures will provide for the most rapid loading as this action will pre vent the camera from selecting a slow speed as might be the case should loading be performed with the lens cap in place However be sure to reset the dial to A if automatic operation is to be performed When load ing film posure 11 OPERATION OF CAMERA CONTROLS Setting the Film Speed As film response sensitivity during exposure to light called fiim speed varies with film type adiustment of the camera s metering circuit is essential to ensure uniform exposures under all operational conditions Thus a film speed dial ASA graduations is provided for this purpose with a safety lock mechanism built in to prevent accidental shifting of the dial during shooting To set the film speed depress the film speed dial lock and while holding the lock depressed turn the ASA film speed dial until the red index mark is aligned with the ASA value for the film in use After setting the dial release the lock and test the dial to ensure that it is set firmly at the desired ASA value The meter is sensitive across the full range of from ASA 12 to ASA 3200 The film speed dial has two graduations between each pair of numbers for intermediate settings such as 64 80 125 etc The figure below indicates the values for all intermediate settings Setting the Shutter Spe
12. until the lever is returned to the normal po sition Note The mirror lockup lever function can be duplicated by using the self timer to trigger the camera as the timer action causes the mirror to swing up at the start of the countdown process This is convenient particularly when minimization of mirror shock is desired without the need to actually lock the mirror up as in photomicrographic applications TIPS ON CAMERA CARE Good camera care is primarily common sense care Treat your Nikon EL2 camera as you would any other precision optical instrument and it will provide you years of trouble free service Although ruggedly constructed your camera may be damaged by shock heat water or misuse By observing the following tips you will be assured of the longest possible service life o Fingerprints or dust on lens prism surfaces will make viewing uncom fortable and will generally contribute to a deterioration of optical performance Clean lens surfaces often using a quality lens tissue or a soft lens brush stubborn smudges should be wiped with lens tissue moistened with methyl alcohol or a quality lens cleaner Never clean lens surfaces using cloth paper towels ordinary tissue or any other material that might scratch the lens surface also use cleaning fluids sparingly to prevent seepage and resulting damage to mechanical components When interchanging lenses finders etc your camera is susceptible to the entry of dust or
13. CUSING Focusing is done at full aperture with Nikkor lenses fit ted with an automatic diaphragm This technique pro vides the brightest possible images on the focusing screen for easy focusing and composing It also mini mizes depth of field so that the image snaps in and out of focus distinctly The Nikon Type K screen comes with the camera as standard equipment To focus turn the focusing ring on the lens until the two halves of the rangefinder image coincide to form a single crisp image when using the microprism ring turn until the microprism pattern shifts to a sharp and crisp image You can also focus on the matte field that surrounds the rangefinder micro prism central area The lens can also be prefocused using the distance scale engraved in both meters and feet on the lens barrel Simply turn the focusing ring until the desired camera to subject distance as measured or estimated is lined up with the distance scale index on the lens barrel This technique is useful for candid shots of elusive subjects when time does not permit through the lens focusing ut of focus In focus 21 FOCUSING continued Infrared Photography The plane of sharpest focus for infrared light is slightly more distant than its counterpart for visible light as seen through the camera s viewfinder Thus for sharpest fo cus in infrared photography adjustments must be made To compensate for this shift in focus f
14. al length of the lens in use e g for a 500mm lens use 1 500 sec for a 105mm lens use 1 125 sec However as the ability to hold the camera steady may vary with each individual we recommend that you experiment In general the higher the selected shutter speed the sharp er the picture SHUTTER RELEASE OPERATION For sharp pictures corr ct shutter releasing is just as important as steady camera holding After advancing the film to a fresh frame the camera is set for shutter release via the button provided at the upper right When taking the picture hold the camera steady as explained previously relax and depress the button us ing a steady even pressure to release the camera s shut ter remember a quick jab of the finger will cause camera movement and may result in a blurred photo graph Operation via Cable Release The shutter release button can also be tripped via a ca ble release or similar accessory for more vibration free operation when the camera is tripod mounted and op erated at slow shutter speeds And as two mounting threads are provided virtually any type cable release can be used To attach an ISO thread release Nikon model AR 3 etc screw the connector into the V shaped thread in the center of the button For Nikon thread releases model AR 2 etc screw the connector onto the threads provided around the button The shutter is then tripped by depressing the release plunger FO
15. ce center Prior to a holiday trip or important shooting assignment test your camera including changing batteries if necessary for proper operation Observe normal battery handling procedures for maximum perform ance at all times Be sure to Clean batteries periodically wiping with a rough cloth will remove residues that might otherwise impede per formance install batteries properly checking for proper polarity remove batteries when not using the equipment for an extended peri od change weak batteries promptly to prevent leakage within the camera store unused batteries properly in a cool dry location to maximize service life dispose of batteries properly do not burn and keep out of the reach of children For details regarding battery per formance refer to the original manufacturer 41 CHANGING THE LENS To remove the lens from the camera body press the lens release button and holding the button depressed twist the lens clockwise as far as it will go With this action the lens will come loose and can be lifted out To mount a lens fitted with a meter coupling ridge perform the following Check that the meter coupling lever is released see Coupling Lever Lock Release Operation on page 43 for details position the lens in the camera s lens mounting flange so that the mounting indexes on the lens and camera body are aligned and then twist the lens counterclockwise until it clicks and locks
16. d at a particular aperture first focus the lens on the subject while looking through the viewfinder Then check the numbers on the distance scale to determine the zone of focus for the aperture in use The three photos shown clearly depict the changing depth of field with the photo at the immediate right the field is shallow at the f 4 setting while the photo at the ex treme right shows a depth of field extending from approximately 2 7m 9 ft to infinity Lens set at f 4 Shallow depth of field centered on the main subject Lens at f 16 Sharp focus is extended to encompass the entire foreground and background Lens at f 8 Depth of field extended in front of behind the main subject 25 EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT The exposure meter of the Nikon EL2 utilizes Nikon s through the lens center weighted exposure measure ment at full aperture The meter reads the light over the entire focusing screen but favors the central 12mm diameter area while taking the entire area into con sideration This allows you to make precise readings of the selected subject area and results in more bal anced overall exposures Automatic Shutter Speed Selection When set to the A shutter speed dial setting the EL2 is capable of fully automatic selection of the shutter speed appropriate for the aperture setting of the lens and the existing lighting conditions The exposure meter display visible within the v
17. der Fixed eyelevel pentaprism type with built in through the lens TTL exposure meter shutter speed indicated to the left within the viewfield Focusing screen Matte Fresnel field with central split image rangefinder surrounded by microprism ring 12mm diameter reference circle defines area of meter center weighting similar to Nikon Type K screen Reflex mirror Instant return type lockup lever pro vided 46 Exposure metering Through the lens center weighted full aperture measurement employing two silicon photo diodes SPD for fast response exposure cor rectly set either automatically or by matching two needles meter cross coupled with both diaphragm and shutter speed controls and automatically index ed as lens is mounted powered by one 6V silver oxide battery Metering range EV 1 EV 18 i e f 1 4 at 1 second f 16 at 1 1000 second with 50mm f 1 4 lens and ASA 100 Film speed scale Settings provided for ASA 12 3200 Lens diaphragm coupling Built in meter coupling lever for Nikkor lenses capable of automatic maximum aperture indexing meter diaphragm coupling of from f 1 2 to f 32 provided Film winding Via single stroke lever with 135 winding angle and 30 stand off angle lever also serves as meter ON OFF switch Frame counter Shows number of frames exposed ad ditive type automatically resets to S two frames before 0 when camera back is opened Film rewinding Manual via film rewind crank
18. ed The Nikon EL2 is set for automatic or manual shutter speed selection via the shutter speed dial positioned to the right of the finder with setting operation possible at any time either before or after the shutter is wound The dial is provided with positions for automatic A speeds of from 8 seconds to 1 1000 second and a B setting To set the dial for automatic shutter speed se lection simply rotate the dial clockwise until the green A automatic setting clicks and locks into place aligned with the shutter speed scale index at the base of the dial the built in locking mechanism ensures that the dial cannot be accidently shifted from the automatic position during shooting To set the dial for manual shutter speed selection used during match needle exposure measurement simply depress the shutter speed dial lock and while holding the lock depressed rotate the dial counterclockwise off of the A position when the dial is aligned with white settings of from 2 to 1000 the actual shutter speed is a fractional value of from 1 2 second to 1 1000 second while the remaining settings indicate the actual values of from 8 seconds to 1 second The red 125 setting indicates that the 1 125 second shutter speed is the fastest speed providing X synchronization for use with electronic flash units At the B setting the shutter remains open as long as the shutter release button is depressed If you
19. era to subject dis tance and the taking aperture The smaller the aper ture and the shorter the focal length of the lens the greater the depth of field Also the closer the subject the shallower the depth of field These three factors can operate independently or in conjunction with one an other with any one factor capable of partially canceling the effects of the other Thus by careful selection and use the photographer can exercise wide creative control over the final picture Depth of Field Preview Button As most Nikkor lenses are operated at full aperture for ease of focusing visualization of the depth of field at the shooting aperture may be difficult Thus the camera s depth of field preview button often can come in handy The depth of field preview button lets you check or preview the zone of sharpness at any time before or after shooting Simply by depressing the button the Jens is stopped down to the preselected aper ture to allow you to see how much background and foreground is in or out of focus 23 DEPTH OF FIELD continued Depth of Field Indicators Depth of field can be read directly from the distance scale in meters or feet with the aid of the color coded depth of field indicators engraved on the lens barrel Each pair of colored lines on either side of the central distance scale index line corresponds to f numbers of the same color on the aperture scale To find the depth of fiel
20. gs With this in mind it s easy to see that if a correct exposure for a scene is 1 125 at f 11 then 1 60 at f 16 or 1 250 at f 8 will be equally acceptable The best combination for your needs will depend on the results desired Use fast shutter speeds to freeze motion or use slow speeds to produce deliberate and creative blur Small apertures give greater depth of field while large apertures restrict sharp focus to the main subject The creative selection of both speeds and apertures will greatly enhance your photography 29 EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT continued Metering Range If the black meter needle fails to leave the A or B positions during auto or fails to match the green needle in manual even after all possible lens aperture shutter speed combinations have been tried then the available light is too bright or too dim for the meter s range To correct this situation several measures may be taken as follows Switch to a new film either higher or lower ASA that more closely matches the available light mount a neutral density filter on the lens to de crease the light reaching the film plane or use artificial lighting i e an electronic flash unit to increase subject illumination Remember too that the lens in use can greatly influence suitability for bright or dim shooting For example a 50mm f 1 4 lens with ASA 100 film couples from EV 1 f 1 4 at 1 second to EV 18 f 16 at 1 1000 second f
21. have forgotten to install the battery the shutter gives a mechanically fixed speed of 1 90 second regardless of the dial position See Flash Synchronization on page 38 for additional mfor mation on flash photography Note The Nikon EL2 consumes battery power at all shutter speed dial settings and thus is subject to the same limitations on battery life i e approx 10 hours continuous operation with fresh batteries even at the B setting OPERATION OF CAMERA CONTROLS continued Setting the Aperture The ring fitted at the base of the lens adjusts the size of the aperture or opening in the iris diaphragm To pre set the lens aperture turn the aperture ring until the de sired f number setting on the scale is aligned with the index mark provided on the lens The iris diaphragm can also be set to intermediate apertures between the click stop settings for more precise exposures Film Advance Lever The film advance lever simultaneously advances the film cocks the shutter and operates the frame counter It also switches on the exposure meter in the finder and unlocks the shutter release button To advance the film stroke the lever with the right thumb in a single stroke totaling only 135 A built in locking device prevents the shutter from being released unless it is fully cocked and the film advanced a full frame At the completion of film advance release the lever and it will return to the 30 standoff
22. iewfield of the finder en ables the photographer to maintain continuous control over the exposure while viewing and focusing and with out the need of removing the eye from the viewfinder And as lighting conditions or the aperture setting change the shutter speed control circuit continues to maintain continuous and automatic control for perfect exposure every time To take a picture using automatic shutter speed selec tion first set the shutter speed dial to A the green needle in the finder will move to the upper A posi tion and remain and select an appropriate aperture set ting As you compose and focus the black needle will continuously indicate the shutter speed being selected for correct exposure Prior to exposing the film verify that the needle is indicating a shutter speed appropriate for the subject if the indicated speed is too fast or too slow simply adjust the aperture ring on the lens until the desired shutter speed is indicated Then press the shutter release button to expose the film Note that as long as the needle remains within the scale provided the EV range of the metering system is not exceeded the camera provides the correct exposure automatically EXPOSURE MEASUREMENT continued Manual Shutter Speed Selection When the shutter speed dial is set to other than the A setting manual shutter speed selection is provided with exposure determination via the match
23. indicators FOREWORD The Nikon EL2 camera offers the serious photo grapher the highest standard of quality performance convenience and versatility available in an auto 35mm SLR camera The EL2 is engineered to take the guess work out of photography with automatic features anyone can learn to use in minutes To get the most out of your Nikon EL2 camera study the instruc tions carefully and practice using the controls before you load any film in the camera Keep this booklet handy for ready reference until you have mastered its basics and follow the suggestions for camera care given on page 40 The few moments you spend famil iarizing yourself with the camera will guarantee you the best results and increase your picture taking enjoyment many times over PREPARATION FOR USE Installing the Battery The exposure measurement and shutter control circuits of the EL2 are powered by a single 6 volt type 544 battery mounted in the battery chamber at the bottom of the mirror box To install the battery first remove the lens if mounted from the camera body see page 42 and lock up the mirror turn the lockup lever upward as far as it will go as described on page 39 to gain access to the battery chamber Then open the battery chamber slide the lid to the left then up and install the battery making sure to properly align the positive and negative terminals of the battery as depicted on the interior of the lid Afte
24. into place These steps provide for full mounting of the lens while simultaneously indexing the lens maximum aperture setting to the camera s metering circuit To mount a lens not fitted with a meter coupling ridge first lock the meter coupling lever in the up position again see Coupling Lever Lock Release Operation for details Then mount the lens and lock it into posi tion as explained previously For operation with lenses not fitted with a meter coupling ridge stop down mea surement as described on page 32 is required Coupling Lever Lock Release Operation The EL2 is fitted with a meter coupling lever at the base of the lens to provide for coupling between the metering circuit and the Jens meter coupling ridge When the camera body is used with lenses offering automatic maximum aperture indexing the lever remains in the normal position However when the camera body is used with lenses and or accessories not provided with this feature the lever must be locked up to permit ex posure measurement via the stop down method To lock up the lever prior to mounting the lens simply push in the coupling lever release and lift the lever up and out of the way for operation To return the lever to its nor mal position for operation with a lens or accessory ca pable of automatic maximum aperture indexing simply push the lever back down until the lever clicks into place then mount the lens as explained previously
25. irst focus the image sharply through the viewfinder Then turn the focusing ring counterclockwise until the point fo cused is aligned with the red dot or line provided on the lens barrel For example in the picture below the lens has been focused for infinity infrared shooting Note that when lenses having a focal length of 50mm or less are used stopped down to f 8 or below no ad justment is necessary due to the large depth of field available Note Some new optics using Nikon s Extra low Dispersion ED glass as well as reflex catadioptric lenses do not require refocusing for infrared photography Refer to individual lens instruction manuals for details 22 Film Plane Indicator Under various precision shooting situations such as close up photography it is often necessary to measure the film to subject distance to ensure the sharpest focus The camera s film plane is indicated by the spe cial mark on the upper right top of the camera body Note that this indicator is 46 5mm from the front surface of the camera s lens mounting flange mounting flange front surface DEPTH OF FIELD Depth of field refers to the zone of acceptable focus ex tending in front of and behind the plane of sharpest focus Within this zone image blur is negligible and everything may be considered as being in sharp focus Three factors greatly influence the depth of field the focal length of the lens in use the cam
26. lable are 5 4 3 2 0 0 5 1 2 and 3 with each value representing the combined lens finder dioptry Finder Eyecup The rubber eyecup can be attached to the finder eye piece to prevent extraneous light from entering the viewfinder Camera Cases Available in both hard and soft pouch construc tion Nikon camera cases offer excellent protection for your camera body and mounted lenses Various sizes available ensure use with most Nikkor lenses FEA TURES SPECIFICATIONS Type of camera 35mm single lens reflex SLR Picture format 24mm x 36mm 35mm film format Lens mount Nikon F mount bayonet type Lenses available Nikkor 50mm f 1 4 f 2 or 55mm f 1 2 as standard more than 50 Nikkor lenses in all Shutter Vertical travel focal plane shutter speeds of from 8 seconds to 1 1000 second and B automatic shutter speed selection available when set to A set ting shutter release via shutter button or self timer Flash synchronization Automatic selection as shutter speed is manually set hot shoe contact 1SO type with built in safety switch provided one threaded PC terminal provided for off camera flash operation Synchronization range 1 1000 8 sec and B for flashbulbs 1 125 8 sec and B for electronic flash Accessory shoe 1SO type built into finder housing fit ted with hot shoe contact and electric safety switch which turns on contact as flash unit is mounted Viewfin
27. ler When satisfied that the film is properly feeding and is traveling correct ly along the film guide rails snap the camera back shut to seal the film chamber Also see Tips on Camera Care on page 40 Caution When loading film be sure to shade the camera from direct exposure to sunlight to prevent inadvertent fogging of the film Nikon EL 7800070 Prior to Shooting Fold out the rewind crank and turn it gently in the direction of the engraved arrow until you feel a slight tension this tension indicates that there is no more slack in the film cartridge Be sure not to rewind the film back into the cartridge Set the shutter speed dial to one of the fixed speed set tings see page 13 advance the film via the film advance lever see page 14 and make two blank ex posures to dispose of the initial portion of the film exposed during loading While advancing the film check that the rewind crank turns in the direction opposite the arrow Crank rotation indicates that the film has n r ittra LZ R tiliae been loaded properly and is being advanced Then fold the crank flat for film storage After advancing the film two frames to dispose of any exposed film the frame counter at the upper right of the camera will indicate 0 now advance the film one more frame to prepare the camera for taking the first exposure Note Setting the shutter speed dial to one of the fixed speed
28. needle method To determine the correct exposure using manual speed selection perform the following Switch on the meter in the usual way and adjust the shutter speed dial until the green needle in the exposure meter display aligns with the desired speed then simply adjust the aperture setting of the lens until the black needle moves to over lap the green needle If deliberate under or overex posure is desired adjust the controls so that the green needle is overlapping the next higher number one step underexposure or the next lower number one step overexposure Example under and overexposure indi cations are shown on the following page Deliberate one step underexposure and one step overexposure Exposure Control The amount of light reaching the film plane is deter mined by a combination of the lens aperture and the shutter speed Since the two are interrelated different combinations will give the same exposure A 1 step change in the shutter speed or a 1 stop change in the aperture setting will either halve or double the exposure For example a shutter speed of 1 125 second passes twice as much light as a setting of 1 250 second and only half as much light as a speed of 1 60 second for an aperture setting of f 11 twice as much light as f 16 and half as much as f 8 is passed This feature characterizes the operation throughout the available range of shutter speeds and aperture settin
29. or excellent low light performance on the other hand a 200mm f 4 lens proves more usable at bright light levels coupling with ASA 100 film to EV20 f 32 at 1 1000 second Thus choose the lens carefully to match the existing lighting conditions 30 High Contrast Lighting Situations When there are substantial brightness differences be tween the main subject and the background unimpor tant bright spots or dark spots can adversely influence the finder reading and thus the final exposure To pre vent under or overexposure of the main subject under these shooting conditions some corrective action must be taken to ensure proper exposure of the main subject Fortunately the finder s center weighted TTL metering action and the memory lock function in auto simpli fy adjustments making for quicker camera operation and more accurate final results To compensate for an excessively bright or dark back ground target the main subject in the center of the fo cusing screen while performing metering this action en sures that the main emphasis of the meter reading will be on the chosen subject Then after completing aper ture and shutter speed adjustments and depressing the memory lock to retain the shutter speed if set to auto recompose to the desired picture composition and make the exposure without readjusting the camera controls For example when shooting landscapes it is often ad visable to aim the camera slightly downward
30. other contaminants It is a good idea to clean moving body parts frequently to prevent the build up of dust here a lens brush and blower will come in very handy When blowing out the interior of the camera however avoid contact with the shutter curtains as they are easily damaged Also wipe the outer body sur faces using a silicone impregnated cleaning cloth to remove finger prints etc quickly and easily Note that a silicone impregnated cleaning cloth should never be used to clean the lens surfaces When exposed to sudden temperature changes or high humidity con densation may form on the lens surfaces After using in these situa tions always dry the camera thoroughly and slowly at room tem perature and then store in a cool dry location Remember that fail ure to dry out the camera may result in the growth of fungus on lens surfaces a condition that will render your camera useless Should your camera be accidently dropped on the floor or in water take it to your dealer immediately for servicing Thorough servicing can be guaranteed only at an authorized dealer Always store the camera in an ever ready case or compartment case when not in use And be sure that the lens cap is attached to the lens Do not leave film in the camera for a long period of time and never store the camera with the shutter or self timer cocked Never lubricate any part of the camera Lubrication should be left to an authorized servi
31. position ready for shut ter release Note Do not apply pressure to the film advance lever while making an exposure Frame Counter The frame counter operates automatically to show how many frames have been exposed When the camera back is opened for loading the counter is reset to the S start position two frames before 0 Once the camera is loaded and the back closed each film advance shutter release sequence will cause the frame counter to advance one position until the maximum 20 or 36 frames have been exposed The dial of the frame counter is calibrated with dots for odd numbers and figures for even numbers and with settings of S 20 and 36 in red Shutter Release Button Lock A special control is fitted around the base of the shut ter release button to provide for greater ease of opera tion when using the EL2 with the Auto Winder AW 1 mounted for automatic film advance With the shutter release button lock the film advance lever s meter ON OFF and shutter button lock functions are dupli cated to enable positioning of the lever flush to the body while using the Auto Winder To operate the camera via the shutter release button lock simply switch the lock to the left to reveal the red meter ON index in this position the meter is on and the shutter button is unlocked for normal release operation When not using the Auto Winder switch the lock back to the right and operate via the
32. r inserting and properly seating the battery snap the chamber lid shut unlock the mirror and remount the lens preparatory to shooting Caution Should the battery be installed incorrectly i e in the reverse direction in the chamber its energy will be depleted in a matter of minutes thus take extra care to insert the battery properly Also be careful not to touch the shutter curtain and mirror surface while installing the battery Note Remove the battery when the camera is not to be used for a Jong period this will prevent Jeakage within the camera Also keep the camera as warm as possible when operating under cold weather conditions otherwise the battery may fail to function See Tips on Camera Care on page 40 for additional information Removing the Battery The battery chamber s built in ejector type mechanism makes for easier removal operation when removing replacing the battery To remove the battery from the camera take off the lens and lock up the mirror as mentioned previously Then while holding the camera upside down release the battery chamber lid and push it slightly toward the back of the mirror box until the battery drops free of the chamber After removing the battery install a fresh one as explained previously Checking the Battery The EL2 is provided with a special circuit that enables the photographer to check the battery power condition without causing excessive battery d
33. r automatic operation as de tailed on page 13 2 Set the lens aperture to the setting appropri ate for the shooting situation at hand by turning the aperture ring as detailed on page 14 3 Turn on the meter and shutter control by simply moving the film advance lever to the 30 standoff position as detailed on page 14 4 View focus compose the subject through the viewfinder turning the lens focusing ring as necessary to achieve a sharp image see pages 20 25 5 Assume a shooting stance and depress the shutter button to expose the film see pages 18 and 19 CONTENTS Foreword Exposure measurement Preparation for use Automatic shutter speed selection Installing the battery Manual shutter speed selection Removing the battery Exposure control Checking the battery Metering range Loading the film High contrast lighting situations Prior to shooting Stop down exposure measurement Operation of camera controls Exposure compensation adjustments Setting the film speed EV range of the camera Setting the shutter speed Flash synchronization Setting the aperture Mirror lockup Film advance lever Tips on camera care Frame counter Changing the lens Coupling lever lock release operation Self timer Accessories Memory lock Unloading film Holding the camera Shutter release operation Operation via cable release Focusing Infrared photography Film plane indicator Depth of field Depth of field preview button Depth of field
34. rain which might occur by having to turn the camera on To check bat tery power simply depress the power check button and watch the power check lamp for indication of the power level If the check lamp glows battery power is sufficient If the lamp fails to glow battery positioning should be checked then if the lamp still fails to glow replace the battery Note When checking battery power hold the button depressed only long enough for the check lamp to glow prolonged de pressing only serves to drain battery power e MINNEN KLLLETEESSEELILLLLLILL PREPARATION FOR USE continued Loading the Film Slide the camera back latch release at the side of the rewind knob to the rear and while holding the release back lift the rewind knob up until the camera back pops open Then with the rewind knob in the up posi tion drop a standard film cartridge a Nikon reloadable type cassette cannot be used into the left hand film chamber with the film leader aligned along the film guide rails After positioning the cartridge and film leader properly push the rewind knob down to hold the cartridge in place and then insert the end of the film leader into any of the slots in the film take up spool If necessary release the shutter and then stroke the film advance lever slowly to make sure that the leader winds smooth ly on the spool and that the film edge perforations engage with the film sprocket rol
35. sary stop 1 stop 34 Caution When performing general photography with the EL2 always make sure that the exposure compensation ring is set to the 0 position if not incorrect exposure will occur EV RANGE OF THE CAMERA The camera s meter may be used only within the shutter speed range covered by the exposure value EV range of the meter which varies with the aperture and ASA setting The chart on page 37 shows the relationships between the f stop shutter speed and film speed indicating the slowest functioning shutter speed for metering pur poses with any film speed f stop combination Careful attention to the following instructions will as sure precise exposure automatically over the complete exposure control and meter range capability of your Nikon EL2 Auto exposure control at full aperture For example with an f 1 4 lens and ASA 100 film the automatic shutter will function down to one second with the lens set at 1 4 and proportionately slower as the aperture is closed Using a standard of ASA 25 film you may be assured of at least a four second speed regardless of the aperture of the lens used as long as the lens is set at full aperture refer to Table Using ASA 400 at f 1 4 the slowest speed is 1 4 second however as the aperture is closed the functioning shut ter speed becomes progressively slower until we reach f 8 when the slowest speed of eight seconds is function ing
36. ture lenses such as Reflex Nikkor lenses choose the desired shutter speed operation mode ei ther automatic or manual selection first When auto matic shutter speed selection is used no additional set tings are required when manual speed selection is used adjust the shutter speed dial until the meter needles in the finder overlap The exposure can additionally be controlled via built in or accessory ND filters For automatic diaphragm lenses with no coupling ridge first set the shutter speed dial for either automatic or manual shutter speed selection When using automatic next depress and hold the depth of field button to stop down the lens diaphragm and adjust the aperture ring until the black needle indicates the desired shutter speed then while holding the button depressed press and hold the memory lock until the completion of the ex posure When using manual operation select the desired shutter speed depress and hold the depth of field but ton and while holding the button depressed adjust the aperture ring until the meter needles in the finder over lap Whichever mode of operation used be sure to re lease the depth of field button prior to making the ex posure For bellows units extension rings and preset lenses set the camera to the desired shutter speed or to auto matic then stop down the lens manually until the me ter needles in the finder overlap or the desired shutter speed is indicated when using
37. venient location of the self timer lever making for ready finger access proves advantageous when using the built in memory lock function Memory lock enables the photographer to retain an exposure measurement taken close up to the subject or via selective composi tion through the viewfinder by locking in the reading taken prior to operating the lock To operate the memory lock view through the finder and meter on the selected area then simply push the lever toward the lens to hold the reading until the completion of the exposure The reading will be retained as Jong as the control is held in this position Thus several frames can be exposed using the same locked reading Also the aperture can be adjusted without affecting the shutter speed locked in See High Contrast Lighting Situa tions on page 30 for details on the use of the memory lock function UNLOADING FILM When the frame counter indicates the last exposure has been made or when the film advance lever can no long er be stroked the roll of film has been fully exposed and it should be removed from the camera To unload the camera first press the rewind button on the camera baseplate then unfold the rewind crank and turn it in the direction of the engraved arrow using a smooth even pressure When no more tension is felt the film leader has left the take up spool and the camera back may be opened as explained previously p trawe ni
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